Whenever I travel, I use my VegOut iPhone app to find new vegan restaurants or places that have vegan food. I didn’t have to use the app to hear about this place. In part 2 of my blog series on “Eating Vegan in Washington DC” we take a look at Busboys and Poets. A friend went here and raved about the food. Although it’s not 100% vegan, it’s got a great variety of vegan junk foods and was located within walking distance to my hotel. Make sure you check out Part 1: of Eating Vegan in Washington DC, Ghana Cafe after reading this post!

Here’s some of the delicious food I got to try on the 2 visits I made:

Considering I found my dinner tasteless and too healthy the night before at Founding Farmers, I was really excited to try the vegan nachos and vegan calzone. I’m spoiled with the vegan pizza in Philadelphia, so I wanted to try something that I don’t usually see offered. Both the nachos and pizza were great. During my next visit I tried the pizza, which was great as well. I like how there are so many toppings on both the pizza and nachos. They mark the items that are vegan, which is helpful as well.

Busboys and Poets is a busy place and would be a great place for friends or your significant other. It’s not ideal as a romantic setting. It’s a fun place with a full bar. If you’re in DC I would definitely recommend this place over the hyped but not very vegan friendly, Founding Farmers.

Busboys and Poets is a community gathering place. First established in 2005, Busboys and Poets was created by owner Anas “Andy” Shallal, an Iraqi-American artist, activist and restaurateur. After opening the flagship location at 14th and V Streets, NW (Washington, DC), the neighboring residents and the progressive community embraced Busboys, especially activists opposed to the Iraq War. Busboys and Poets is now located in four distinctive neighborhoods in the Washington Metropolitan area and is a community resource for artists, activists, writers, thinkers and dreamers.

Why the name?

The name Busboys and Poets refers to American poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel in the 1920s, prior to gaining recognition as a poet.